In support of your learning, research, and academic needs, use of the Libraries is essential for your information access.  It is in view of this that various library services are provided to support your studies.  We have drafted this Charter to indicate what you should expect from us as well as what we as the Libraries expect from you since we are partners in your information access.  We hope that this will help you to understand and use the libraries to best advantage. We are committed to supporting your learning experience and will work with you to try to achieve this.

The Basics

• You are required to attend an orientation session if you are a new patron.
• We will advertise the opening hours of our libraries at the entrances and on our website.
• You can expect friendly, courteous, helpful, and knowledgeable staff at our service points.
• You can expect the library’s online catalogue workstations to be available throughout library opening hours when there is electricity.
• You can expect us to acquire at least one copy of every book on your reading list, if we have received a copy of the reading list in time and if the item is in print.
• Where reading lists have been received 12 weeks before the start of a semester, 60% of the items listed will be available for use by the first day of that semester.
• You can expect to queue to borrow and return items.
• You will be able to avail yourself of photocopying services in both our libraries. They will be available at least from 0800 hours to 1600 hours, Monday to Friday.
• You can expect to access the internet for scholarly research via computer terminals in the library.
• You can expect us to respect your right to privacy: we will not divulge what you have borrowed, requested or returned, unless we are legally obliged to do so.
• You can expect us to try to ensure that you have equal access to our collections and services if you have particular needs due to a disability. Special arrangements will be made where necessary and practicable.
• You can expect us to close the library before closing time when there is a power outage. Library staff can wait for 20 minutes after power goes off before closing the library.

Using the Library to your best advantage

• You will normally be able to obtain help and advice from staff at the Reference Desk during library opening hours.
• You will be able to attend customized information literacy sessions to help you make the best use of our resources. These are arranged via your faculties.
• We will endeavour to provide sufficient multiple copies of core texts and will manage these collections to maximize fair and equal access.
• You will be able to request and recall items important to your studies using the RECALL system.
• You can expect most items to be reshelved within one working day.
• We will use the information and statistics that our library management system produces to try and ensure efficient and equitable access to library items in high demand.
• You can normally expect us to place inter-library loan requests for items that we may not have in our collection. You will be able to access a selection of full-text electronic journals relevant to your subject area.
• You can expect our general documentation and website to be as up-to-date and accurate as possible.
• You can expect at least 80% of workstations in the libraries to be working during opening hours.

Fostering a learning environment

• Those with special needs are encouraged to inform the library so that they can be assisted.
• You can expect us to report all building defects to the Works Department promptly and we will monitor to ensure that these are promptly attended to.
• You can expect the surroundings to be clean, tidy and free of litter.
• You can expect us to monitor our performance and to report back on our findings
• You can raise issues with your faculty librarians and expect them to report back on these issues.
• You can contact the library via the live chat on the library homepage, Facebook page, e-mail, phone or Twitter (X).
• You are expected to understand your responsibilities towards library staff and other users by way of the following:
  • Familiarise yourself with the following and abide by them
    • Library rules and regulations
    • Use of university computing facilities.
  • Put your electronic gadgets on silent before entering the libraries.
  • Be prepared to show your student identity card to library staff on entering the libraries and borrowing books.
  • Take care of your student ID. Do not lend it to anyone else.  You are responsible for all items borrowed in your name.
  • Make sure you familiarize yourself with the procedure for reporting lost student ID. Always report lost or stolen student IDs immediately to the Reference Desk in the libraries.
  • Make sure we have your current local and home addresses.
  • Return books by the date stamped on the date label or the date notified by the Library if recalled.
  • Do not deface or damage books or property.
  • Check to see that the book you have borrowed is not damaged in any way. You are responsible for any damaged/mutilated book in your possession.
  • Be polite and courteous to other library users and library staff.
  • Do not eat or drink in the library.
  • Do not smoke anywhere in any of our libraries.
  • Do not make noise – respect the library as a quiet working environment.
  • Respect the laws on copyright and use of computers, and ask library staff for information on these if needed.
  • Look after your own personal property at all times in the library.

Proviso

We will provide you with services to the best of our abilities and will always strive to minimize any inconvenience to you.  However, we cannot guarantee that hardware and software will never fail.  Occasionally, access to some services may be interrupted by factors outside our control, such as failures in national or international network connections, or human elements.  Where this happens, we will always try and let you know why services are unavailable and when they will be restored.

The library service charter has been derived from our own experience here at BUSE as well as the experiences of colleagues in other academic libraries.